


Caged Heart

by Zamaza



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 04:51:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7253173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zamaza/pseuds/Zamaza
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reader is scared about the future with the singing of the Accords. They ask Tony to reassure them prior to things going downhill from the announcement of the Accords.</p><p>Reader's gender is unspecified.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Caged Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time in a very long while I've posted any of my writing online. This is also my first story on AO3. 
> 
> Unbeta-ed, please feel free to point out any grammar or spelling errors in the comments so that I may correct them. I have made an effort to make the reader's gender non-specific, but please let me know if I miss anything on that front as well. 
> 
> Inspired by this post on tumblr http://morefandomimagines.tumblr.com/post/146177398960
> 
> I may add more to this, I haven't decided. If I do further chapters there will be a background Steve/Bucky relationship.

Tony settles in on the couch beside you with a drink in his hand, exhaling heavily as he tries to shake some of the last days events from his mind. You continue scrolling through the digital copy of the Sokovia Accords on your phone, not really processing what your eyes are looking over.

Tony's clearly exhausted and working his way up to saying something, but you give him his space. You can't do much else for him at the moment.

Several minutes pass in silence, until you can feel his eyes on you and you look up from your phone to meet his gaze. 

"Not going to tell me I'm making a mistake?" He finally asks, his expression carefully schooled into something neutral. "You were unusually quiet during the discussion earlier."

That was true, Tony hadn't been the only one uncharacteristically quiet when General Ross explained the plan for the Accords. You still didn't know what to say, both sides of the issue on the team had their valid points and concerns. And what could you say after Tony brought up that young man's death? Who were you to argue against the will of 117 countries?

Much like Tony when he'd first walked in the room, you had already made up your mind. You kept silent however, hoping another solution to the problem would arise. 

You're not sure what expression is on your face, but Tony clearly sees some sign of distress.

"I'm sorry I couldn't discuss this with you before the rest of the team. I know we've talked about being more direct with each other, but this was a team issue, but I'll completely understand if you're pissed-"

You shake your head and cut him off. It's hard to get a word in if you let him get going otherwise. "No, that's not it. I'm just not sure this is the right direction for us, for all of us."

Tony frowns and takes a large swallow of his drink. Some of the uneasy tension he dismissed earlier returns to his body. "Given enough time, I'm sure everyone will come to see this is the way things have to be from now on. It wouldn't surprise me if a few people want to step down from the team for awhile, but they'll come back. And if not, we'll adjust. If we don't get ahead of this thing and sign on now, it will only be worse when they try to take control of the team without us." 

"Have you had time to read the full document?" You ask, trying to keep your concerns from seeping into your tone.

Tony motions with the drink in his hand at your phone. "I don't agree with all the language in there, but there'll be time to revise it later."

"Maybe we should have it revised first, before we sign anything."

Tony gives you a concerned look that tells you this isn't the response he expected from you, then looks offended for a moment before his face attempts to slip back into a practiced business neutrality. "You know, I didn't think I really had to ask you... You are on board with this?"

You don't answer.

"You will be signing on?" His tone is uneven, rough and tired and not the careful mask he no doubt wants it to be. He's a smart man after all, the self proclaimed playboy genius, he must have already figured it out.

Your phone's screen fades to black in sleep mode, which is just as well, you're not sure you could stomach to look at those lines of text at the moment.

"I don't think anything good has ever come of governments having lists of minority group members."

Tony starts to roll his eyes, which turns into a full body motion and he slaps both hands down hard on his thighs, shaking his drink a little. He rests his head on the back of the couch and speaks loudly, as though addressing the ceiling. "I cannot believe you're siding with Cap and them on this!"

At any other time his exaggerated display might have even been humorous to you both, but right now it's not.

"I'm not saying no yet, I'm just not sure I'm ready to agree to anything on this scale at such short notice."

Tony sits back up and squares his shoulders, turning to face you. He looks frustrated, and maybe even a little angry, but mostly he just looks tired. "You know what? That's fine. Take all the time you want to think it over. Like I said, no one has to sign it right away - in a few months, you'll still be able to sign on when you change your minds. But for now, anyone who wants to keep operating as a member of this team is going to have to sign on. It's a done deal. We have to do this. We can't keep running around leaving destruction in our wake, accountable to no one."

"And if we, if I, never feel comfortable signing?"

"We'll address that if it happens." Tony finishes off his scotch and stands to fetch a refill from the bar at the far side of the room.

Tony's walking back with a generous amount more of his expensive Scotch in hand, and a spare glass in the other. He settles in closer to you on the couch this time, his leg almost resting against yours as he sits down. He hands you the other glass, but you don't drink it. 

Normally having him this close should be comforting. Having him here should reassure you and make you feel safe.

A traitorous part of your mind is already trying to adjust to see this man you love as threat. Your heart hammers in your chest, your eyes water a bit and the back of your throat stings from the dread of what may come to pass. Part of you has already lost him. You feel a bit disgusted with yourself. He could never be your enemy, could he? Tony would always choose you over some stack of papers wouldn't he? 

You hate yourself a little even thinking the questions. You hate him a little bit as well, for putting everyone in this situation - even if it isn't his fault. The man flaunted US congress once before, why couldn't he have done it with the United Nations as well?

The futurist. Not for the first time, you wish you could see what he does. You wish you could picture this future where it all works out.

But you can't.

"And their list of enhanced individuals - are you giving them our information?"

Tony rests a hand on your shoulder. His fingers idly toying with the hair at the nape of your neck. "For those who sign, yes."

"And for everyone else?"

"I have no intention of passing that information along."

"And when they ask that you do? When they order you to?"

He's looking right into your eyes, and you hope to see something in his that will reassure you. Whatever you're looking for though, you don't find it there.

"I will do whatever I need to do to keep this team running and saving people."

You busy yourself playing with the condensation on the edge of your glass.

"And when they decide that Bruce or Wanda are too dangerous, when they want to put one of us in a cell?"

His hand stills on your shoulder. "Nobody is talking about doing that right now."

"But it could happen. It could come to that."

"It won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

Tony leans forward and sets his glass on the table, before leaning against you, one arm around your shoulders and the other resting on your knee. He presses a affectionate kiss to the side of your neck. When he speaks again, he's half talking into the back of your ear with his face buried against your hair.

"No one is planning to put you in a cage."

You want to believe him, you want it to be true. For a moment you just shut your eyes and try to let his words and his presence calm you down. It works a little, and your heart no longer feels like it's threatening to climb out of your chest through your throat.

The futurist part of you knows it won't be true. Knows that no matter how much he means it right now, he won't be able to live up to it later.

So you aren't really sure why you ask him what you do.

"Promise me." You say, when Tony's hand on your knee starts stroking your thigh, it's not sexual, just meant to assure you.

"I won't let it come to that."

That traitorous part of you thinks that maybe Bruce had the right idea. But you can't run and hide, not just yet. You want to believe in Tony. You want to believe it's true.


End file.
